Know the Differences between Premenopause, Menopause, and Postmenopause

Hermina Friends,

As we know that Menopause is a period where menstruation stops in every woman ranging in age from 40-50 years on average. The occurrence of menopause is a sign of the end of a woman's reproductive age.

Menopause can cause several changes in the body. These symptoms are caused by reduced production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in the ovaries.

The symptoms that are most often felt are a feeling of heat, weight gain, and vaginal dryness. In some cases, vaginal atrophy (thinning of the vaginal walls) may occur due to vaginal dryness. This causes discomfort to pain during sexual intercourse. In addition, Menopause can also increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Natural menopause occurs not due to surgery, or certain health conditions, and is a natural process due to aging. With age, the reproductive cycle will slow down and will eventually stop. The reproductive cycle begins at puberty, and continues to function thereafter. When approaching menopause, the hormone estrogen produced by the ovaries will decrease. When this happens, the menstrual cycle will change. Menstruation can become irregular until it finally stops and there will be some physical changes that can occur as the body adapts to these changes in hormone levels. As menopause approaches, the ovaries no longer release eggs into the fallopian tubes, and you will experience the end of your period.

Natural menopause is the end of menstruation that is not caused by medical therapy or certain health conditions.

There are 3 phases that occur, namely:

1. Premenopause or menopausal transition
Premenopause occurs 8 to 10 years before menopause, when the ovaries begin to gradually produce less estrogen. It generally begins when a woman is 40 years old, but can also occur earlier. Perimenopause will last until menopause occurs, when the ovaries completely stop releasing eggs. In the last one to two years of perimenopause, the rate of decline in estrogen levels will increase. At this time, women generally experience menopause symptoms. At this time, women are still menstruating, which means they still have the potential to get pregnant.

2. Menopause
Menopause is the time when a woman does not experience menstruation at all. In this phase, the ovaries stop releasing eggs and stop producing estrogen. Menopause is diagnosed when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months.
Symptoms that are often experienced are lack of enthusiasm, irritability and hot flushes and night sweats.

Changes in your menstrual cycle – becoming more frequent or more irregular – is one of the first signs that menopause is approaching.

3.Postmenopause
This phase occurs after the menopausal phase, that is, when a woman has gone through menopause, where she has not experienced menstruation for 12 consecutive months. In this phase, the symptoms experienced, such as often feeling hot, can disappear. However, in some cases, menopause symptoms can last longer. As a result of decreasing estrogen levels, women in the postmenopausal phase can be at high risk for several health problems such as osteoporosis and others.

Prepare yourself for menopause by finding out all the facts related to the condition. Don't forget to continue to adopt a healthy lifestyle by consuming a balanced nutritious diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, managing stress and avoiding smoking and alcohol. And last but not least, check with your doctor regularly so that your health condition is always monitored.